Artinformal highlights paradise and provenance in ongoing exhibits by Zean Cabangis and Juan Alcazaren.

Words Patricia Lanzagarita
Photos Artinformal Gallery
August 20, 2024

In two Artinformal exhibits featuring Filipino artists Zean Cabangis and Juan Alcazaren, the essence of paradise and the meaning of provenance are explored.

Nawawalang Paraiso

“Does paradise truly exist?”

Zean Cabangis once asked an adult what ‘Paraiso’ meant when he encountered the word for the first time at a resort that he frequented as a child. In his mind, he thought that the image of the shifting surface of the pool reflecting the blue sky and the sun was paradise. Cabangis later realized that the concept of paradise is subjective and “not a concrete place but an ideal one perceives in the mind.”

In his latest exhibition titled “Nawawalang Paraiso,” Cabangis made an abstract collection using cement and acrylic for painting while also utilizing rags and cement trowels. He made his artworks with decisive haste as the materials tend to dry quickly.

Along with his latest artworks, Cabangis also presented his lightbox series together with a moving image piece, forming a scenography merging environment and natural world, which creates a dream-like and shifting reality.

Provenance is providence

“All created material comes from the Uncreated One.”

Using materials in a purposeful way is the message that Juan Alcazaren puts forth in “Provenance is Providence.”

Alcazaren chose to create something with raw materials such as rags, pieces of plastic chairs, plastic wires, cloth, and screws, showcasing the creativity and resourcefulness of the artist. Essentiality goes beyond lines, colors, and the abstract. The bigger mission of this exhibit is to show that visual arts not only appeal to the eyes, but also to emotions and shared experiences.

“Nawawalang Paraiso” and “Provenance is Providence” are on view from August 8 to September 5 at Artinformal Makati.